After the meeting with the foreign secretary, Uzra Zeya said that she came here in recognition the importance of the Bangladesh, and US partnership

Visiting US Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights Uzra Zeya said on Thursday that it was up to Bangladesh to decide the election time tables and they did not have any direct engagement in dialogue between political parties.

She made the comment while replying to a question after his meeting with Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen at the state guesthouse Padma.

Donald Lu, Assistant Secretary Bureau Of South And Central Asian Affairs, US ambassador in Dhaka Peter Haas were also present.

The US took the centre of the attention in Bangladesh's politics ahead of the upcoming general elections following its announcement of a new visa policy related to holding free and fair polls. The election is scheduled to be held in January. Under this policy, the US will be able to deny visas to those who obstruct the election process in Bangladesh.

Opposition BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami are demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during the election time and install an interim government to oversee the elections.

The ruling Awami League, however, said the election will be held as per the constitution which means that the PM will remain in position during the elections like other countries in the world.

The visiting Under Secretary met Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday morning at Ganabhaban when she conveyed that the visa policy was aimed at helping her to deliver her commitment to hold free, and fair elections.

The prime minister reiterated her position and said: “We always fought for free and fair elections in the country, we already have held free and fair elections.”

After the meeting with the foreign secretary, Uzra Zeya said that she came here in recognition the importance of the Bangladesh, and US partnership.

She said during her meetings she heard a "strong commitment" of the prime minister and other government ministers in support of the free and fair elections.

The US, as part of its global human rights policy, supports free, fair and peaceful elections everywhere, she said. 

"The questions of the time tables of the elections that is for Bangladesh to decide," she said adding that they encourage diagloue.

"But we do not have any direct involvement with any dialogue," she said.

As the general elections are approaching, the State Department is sending one after another delegation to Bangladesh.

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen, however, had said those visits were US administration's efforts to strengthen the relationship with Bangladesh further.

In an article, the foreign minister wrote currently Bangladesh and the US are working together in collaboration and partnership on a number of multifaceted issues such as climate change, Rohingya issue, women's empowerment, UN peacekeeping, health and labor issues, trade and investment, energy and renewable energy sector, economic development, people's empowerment, education, skill training and digital innovations. In addition, the USA is engaged with us to help improve the democratic process, rule of law, and freedom of press and media, among others.

Under Secretary Zeya visited Rohingya camps on Wednesday and said: "US is proud to be the leading donor of humanitarian aid to Rohingya and urges worldwide partners' assistance for the Rohingyas.” Bangladesh is hosting over 1.1 million Rohingya refugees who fled Myanmar's Rakhine State. Most of them took shelter following the August 2017 ‘ethnic cleansing'.

She also announced additional 74 million dollars for Rohingya refugees.

She will leave Dhaka for Washington in the early morning of Friday.